Guide pin for guide plates of punching and/or perforating assembly



M y 8, 1954 p. H. TAYLO 2,678,695

GUIDE PLATE GUIDE PIN FOR PUNCHING AND/OR PERFORATING A SE BLY FiledSept. 19, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Paul Taylor y 8, 1954 P. H. TAYLOR2,678,695

GUIDE PIN FOR GUIDE PLATES OF PUNCHING AND/OR PERFORATING ASSEMBLY FiledSept. 19, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Paul H. Tayl r ATTORN EY May 18, 1954 PH TAYLOR 2,678,695

GUIDE PIN FOR GUiDE PLATES OF PUNCHING AND/OR PERFORATING ASSEMBLY 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 19, 1950 3mm PauZ H. Taylor ATTORNEY May 18,1 4 P. H. TAYLOR 2,678,695

GUIDE PIN FOR GUIDE PLATES OF PUNCHING AND/OR PERFORATING ASSEMBLY FiledSept. 19, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 awe/WM Paul HTaylor in M g 1 T uw mu N.QR T R i /0 V mu on I & MW Wm M R B m QM JV Q =7Z :74

ATTORN Ey ?atented May 18, 1954 GUIDE PIN FOR GUIDE PLATES OF PUNCH- INGAND/OR PERFORATING ASSElWBLY Paul H. Taylor, North Tonawanda, N. Y.,assignor to Wales-Strippit Corporation, North Tonawanda, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application September 19, 1950, Serial No.185,603

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus of the kind employed in punching outand/or perforating blanks, or work-pieces, which may be in the form ofplates, sheets, bars and the like, the invention being characterized byfeatures which adapt it particularly, although not necessarily, toapparatus in the form of a self-contained, or unit, assembly which maybe employed in connection with conventional presses.

The features which characterize the present invention are disclosed inmy co-pending a plications Serial No. 185,601 and Serial No. 185,602 andmay be employed to particular advantage in connection with theperforating apparatus and method disclosed and claimed in George F.Wales Patents Nos. 2,410,372 of October 29, 1946 and 2,419,862 of April29, 1947, particularly the former.

Both of the patents referred to are concerned with perforatingwork-pieces by the use of transfer punches which, in the case of amultiplicity of holes, are driven into and lodged in the initialwork-piece in the desired pattern. In subsequent repeat operations, thepunches are driven out of one work-piece and driven into, and lodged in,another work-piece. Thus each work-piece in which the punches are lodgedserves to hold the punches assembled in the desired relation until theyare driven into and lodged in another workpiece, the punches being freedfrom the original work-piece in which they were lodged as this occurs.

Provision is made in each of the patents mentioned for aligning thepunches with the cooperating die apertures when the work-piece in whichthe punches are lodged is placed in the desired relation with respect toa second work-piece to which the punches are to be transferred. InPatent 2,410,372, the means for aligning the punches and die aperturesfor the purpose contemplated comprises a guide plate. The latter isformed with guide apertures through which the punches may pass from onework-piece to the other and which are held in alignment with the dieapertures by guide pins which connect the plate in which the dieapertures are formed and the guide plate.

As noted, in each perforating operation, after the initial operation,the punches lodged in one work-piece are freed therefrom as they aredriven through the guide apertures in the guide plate into a secondwork-piece to perforate the latter and become lodged therein. Prior tothe succeeding operation, the work-piece from which the punches arefreed and the guide plate are removed; a third work-piece is placed uponthe die plate; the guide plate is placed in operative position upon thethird work-piece; and the second work-piece in which the punches arelodged is arranged upon the guide plat with the punches carried therebyin alignment with the guide apertures in the guide plate. The operationsdescribed involve the separation of the guide plate from the die plateafter each punching operation, the guide pins being necessarilywithdrawn from the guide apertures which they occupy as this occurs. Inorder that the guide apertures in the guide plate will be held inaccurate alignment with the die apertures in the die plate, it isessential that the guide pins have a snug fit in their guide apertures.As a result, the guide pins frequently stick in, or bind in, their guideapertures and in so doing mak it difficult to separate the guide platefrom the die plate, increasing substantially the time and effortinvolved in effecting such separation.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcomethe above objection. This object contemplates a guide plate having guidepins associated therewith in such a manher that the punch and dieelements will be accurately guided with respect to one another, theguide pins being so designed that they may be freely withdrawn from theguide apertures in which they are accommodated when it is desired toseparate the guide plate from the particular element to which it may beconnected by said pins.

A further object is a novel design and arrangement of the guide pins forthe purpose described, whereby to provide for simplicity and economy inconstruction and facilitate manipulation of the guide plate in themanner required.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blanking and perforating assemblywhich includes a guide plate having guide pins embodying the features ofthe invention, the assembly being shown in connection with stockmaterial from which perforated work-pieces are to be produced and inoperative relation with respect to the bed and ram of a press by whichactuation of the parts of the assembly is to be effected;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an exploded view ShOWiIlg in perspective the parts of theblanking and perforating assembly;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2,

but with the perforating punches omitted, and illustrates an embodimentof the invention wherein provision is made for preventing lockingtogether of the parts of the apparatus when not held apart by aworkpiece; and

Figure 5 is another embodiment of the invention wherein the parts of theapparatus are also specially designed to prevent locking together of theparts in the absence of a work-piece.

The features of the invention are illustrated in connection with ablanking and perforating assembly of the kind disclosed in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 185,601. The said assembly is indicated at l5 inFigure l and, as illustrated, is in the form of a multi-part unit, beingshown supported upon a table it carried by the bed I? of a conventionalpress under the rain l8 of the press. One end of a strip of stockmaterial I!) from which perforated work-pieces are to be punched isshown introduced between the parts of the blanking and perforatingassembly.

As illustrated, the blanking and perforating assembly comprises ablanking die 20, a combined perforating die and blanking punch 2i and aguide plate 22, these parts being shown in perspective in explodedrelation in Figure 3. In this connection, it will be noted that all ofthe parts shown are generally triangular in shape as the perforatedwork-pieces to be produced are of such shape. Obviously, square, roundor otherwiseshaped work-pieces may be produced, it being understoodthat, although the shearing edges of the blankin die and blanking punchwill conform to such shape, the overall, or outside shape of suchblanking elements is not dictated by the shapes of the shearin edges.

The blanking die is formed, or provided, around its inner walls and atthe bottom thereof with a shearing edge 2 which is preferably of agreater height than the thickness of the stock material 19, and hence ofa greater height than the thickness of the work-piece to be punched fromsaid material. The shearing edge 24 is of a shape which will producework-pieces of the desired shape and is extended inwardly, asillustrated, to provide a clearance 25 above the shearing edge.

The combined perforating die and blanking punch 2! corresponds inoutline to that of the shearing edge 24 of the blanking die. the sideand top walls of the member 2| cooperating with the shearing edge 24 topunch work-pieces from the stock material. The member 2i is also formedwith die apertures 28 with which perforating punches 2! (Figure 2)cooperate in perforating the work-piece in the manner described.

The guide plate 22 (Figure 3) has a marginal edge which is adapted tocooperate with the shearing edge 24 of the blanking die 23 so as toguide the latter in proper relation with respect to the perforating dieand blanking punch 2| as the blanking members are operated to punch outthe work-pieces. The guide plate 22 is also formed with perforations 28which are adapted to guide the punches 27 in proper relation withrespect to the die apertures 28 when the punches are operated toperforate the work-pieces.

In order to maintain the guide plate 22 in proper relation with respectto the perforating die and blankin punch 2|, the guide plate carriesguide pins 29 and 39, these pins being adapted to enter guide apertures3| and 32, respectively, in the perforating die and blanking punch 2|.When the guide pins 29 and 30 occupy the guide apertures 31 and 32, theguide plate will be held against lateral displacement and maintained insuch a position that the blanking die 28, when actuated, will be guidedin the proper relation with respect to the shearing edges of theblanking punch 2| while the punches 2? will be guided in the properrelation with respect to the die apertures 26. In addition, the strip ofstock material l9 will be accurately guided between the blanking die andblankin punch by the guide pins 29 and 30.

Preferably, the lower end of the guide pin 29 is spherical, the majordiameter of the sphere being located just below the upper surface of theperforating die and blanking punch when the parts are assembled inoperative relation. The major diameter of the spherical end of the guidepin 29 is of substantially the same diameter as the guide aperture 3!while the shank of the guide pin is of substantially less diameter. Theguide pin 30, on the other hand, is of substantially the same diameteras its guide aperture 32. However, its lower end is beveled, asindicated at 33, so that at the side of the aperture 32 away from theaperture 31 the full diameter of the pin 39 terminates just below theupper face of the perforating die and blanking punch 2!, as best shownin Figure 2. When they occupy their guide apertures, the guide pins areoperative to hold and guide the cooperating punch and die elementsaccurately with respect to one another. The guide pin constructiondescribed has the advantage that in disassembling the parts, the guideplate may be rocked by lifting the end which carries the guide pin 30.When this is done, the spherical end of the guide pin 29 will pivot inthe guide aperture 31 while the guide pin 30 readily moves out of theguide aperture 32. The beveled face 33 of the guide pin 30 enables theguide plate to be rocked in the manner described and compensates for theincreased increment of length between the pins as the guide plate isrocked.

In accordance with the invention, the end of the stock material 19 isarranged upon the perforating die and blanking punch 21, as shown inFigure 2. The guide plate 22 is then placed upon the stock material sothat the guide pins 29 and 30 enter the guide apertures 3| and 32 in theperforating die and blanking punch 2|, it being understood that thewidth of the stock material 49 is less than the distance between theguide pins and that the path of movement of the stock material, as it isfed, is normal to a line between the guide pins. The blanking die 20 isthen oriented and fitted over the guide plate so that it will also besupported upon the stock material; and the heads of the perforatingpunches 21 are inserted in the guide apertures 28 in the guide plate sothat they rest upon the stock material.

With the parts assembled in the manner described and with the assemblypositioned in a press, as illustrated, the ram of the press is actuatedto lodge the blanking die on the marginal edge of the work-piece. At thesame time, the blanking die is punching out the work-piece, theperforating punches are driven into, and lodged in the workpiece,thereby forming a perforation, or any desired pattern of perforations.Upon completion of the operation illustrated in Figure 2, the blankingdie and perforating punches are lodged on and in the work-piece andthese parts may be handled as a unit,

The ram of the press is then elevated. Thereupon the work-piece and theblanking die 20 are removed and the stock material is advanced toposition a new section over the perforating die and blanking punch 2|.The guide Plate 22 is then again placed on top of the stock materialwith its guide pins 29 and 3!} entering the guide apertures 3i and 32 inthe perforating and blanking die. The work-piece which has been punchedout of the stock material in the manner described and which at thisstage carries the blanking die and perforating punches is then placedupon the guide plate so that the shearing edge 24 of the blanking dieoverlies the upper marginal edge portions of the guide plate 22 and sothat the heads of the perforating punches 21 enter the guide apertures28 in the said plate.

When the parts have been arranged as described, the ram of the press isoperated as before.

The blanking die is thereby freed from the original work-piece andpunches out and becomes lodged on a second work-piece. At the same time,the heads of the perforating punches 2'! are driven out of the originalwork-piece and are driven into, and lodged in, the second work-piece. Asthe blanking die and perforating punches are moved to the positionsdescribed, the original work-piece moves into the clearance while onlythe reduced shank portions of the perforating punches 21 oocupy theperforations formed in the original workpiece by the heads of theperforating punches. The original work-piece and the guide plate 22 may,therefore, be readily removed so that the sequence of operationdescribed may be repeated.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 1} and 5,provision is made for preventing the guide pins 29 and 33 from enteringthe guide apertures 3i and 32 in the perforating die and blanking punch25 to such an extent as to cause locking together of the guide plate 22and the element 2! when a work-piece is not present to hold these partsseparated, as for example when the assemblies are stored or otherwisenot in use.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the lower portions of guide apertures 3! and32 are threaded to receive screws 59 and iii, respectively. The upperends of the screws conform in shape to the lower of the guide elements2s and .59, the upper end of the screw 5i being inclined at the same isas the lower end of the guide element 38 while the upper end of thescrew 53 is formed with a shallow socket conforming in curvature to thespherical end of the guide element 29. The

5i, and 55 are, as shown, adjusted so that in the absence of awork-piece between the guide plate 22 and the perforating die andblanking punch 25, the guide plate will be supported in spaced relationwith respect to the element 21,

th reby preventing the guide elements 29 and 33 from entering the guideapertures 35 and 32 to such an extent as to cause the parts to becomelocked together in so doing render diificult separation of such partsincident to their subsequent use.

in Figure 5 the same objective is attained by the use or" rubber plugs52 and 53 which are used in place of the screws 50 and Si illustrated inFigure 4. The plugs 52 and 53 have upper ends ich conform in shape tothe lower ends of the de elements 29 and 36; and they are adjusted in.he openings 32 and 32 so that in the absence a work-piece between theguide plate 22 and the perforating die and blanking punch 2!, the guideelements 29 and 36 will be prevented from entering the guide apertures3i and 32 to such an extent as to cause locking together of theconnected parts. The plugs 52 and 53 have the advantage that, beingresilient in nature, they will yield when work-pieces slightly thinnerthan those for which the parts were originally adjusted are blanked outof the stock material.

It is to be understood that, although the guide pins have beenillustrated in connection with apparatus for simultaneously blanking andperforating work-pieces, this is intended by way of example only as thefeatures of the invention may also be employed to advantage withapparatus utilized solely for blanking or for perforating and withvarious forms of punching apparatus other than the specific embodimentsillustrated.

I claim as my invention:

1. Guide means for use with a punch element and a cooperating dieelement that are adapted to be disposed between the ram and the bed of apress and that are adapted to have the sheet stock material which is tobe punched disposed between them, one of said elements being removableto permit placing the stock material between said elements, said guidemeans comprising a plate for guiding one of said elements in operativerelation with respect to the other, said plate having a guide surfacecooperating with one of said elements, and a pair of spaced-apart guidepins carried by said plate, said pins being aligned transversely of saidplate and being disposed, respectively, adjacent opposite sides of saidplate, and being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of thestock material, one of said elements being formed with a pair of spaced,transversely-aligned, cylindrical guide apertures adjacent oppositesides thereof for accommodating said guide pins, and means for rockablymounting one of said guide pins in one of said apertures to permitwithdrawal of said guide pins from said apertures and removal of theremovable element.

2. Guide means for use with a punch element and a cooperating dieelement that are adapted to be disposed between the ram and the bed of apress and that are adapted to have the shaft stock material which is tob punched disposed between them, one of said elements being removable topermit placing the stock material between said elements, said guidemeans comprising a plate for guiding one of said elements in operativerelation with respect to the other, said plate having a guide surfacecooperating with one of said elements, and two spaced-apart guide pinscarried by said plate, said pins being aligned transversely of saidplate and being disposed, respectively, adjacent opposite sides of saidplate and being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of thestock material, one of said elements being formed. with a pair ofspaced, transversely-aligned cylindrical guide apertures adjacentopposite sides thereof for accommodating said pins, one of said guidepins having a spherical end to engage in one of said guide apertures anda reduced shank portion connected to said guide plate, and the other ofsaid pins having substantially the same diameter as the other guideaperture and having a beveled end face which engages in the other ofsaid guide apertures, said beveled face facing away from said sphericalend, whereby to enable said guide plate to be rocked to facilitatewithdrawal of said guide pins from said guide apertures.

3. Guide means for use with a female blanking die and a cooperating maleblanking punch that are adapted to be disposed between the ram and thebed of a press and that are adapted to have the sheet stock materialwhich is to be blanked 7: dispgsedibetweemthemsaidiblanking diehavingn ashearingz edge. at; one endiandadie-cavity,hav: ingan:axialimextending-;margina1.-wa11 adjoin:- ing said shearing-v-Bdge,and'said blanking punch having twoi-rspaced, transversely-aligned guideapertures therei-niadiaoent its.opposite sides; respectively,said;guide.meansqcomprising a guide plate having asperipheralwguidessurface cooperating with. said marginal wall, ,and two spaced,transversely alignedguide pins secured to said p1ate,-- saidpins :being;spaced=further apart than the .widthmf said stockamaterial and being;disp0sed;- respectively adjacent.v opposite sides of said plate to beaccommodated in said guide 8 apentures anduneans; fonrrockablymountingmnen of. said guide. pinsiimone of-saidiapertures $043.22-cilitate -.w-ithdrawa1:of-,both .iof isaid =guide ;pins:: from said:apertures:

References. Cited th'e fil'd of. this .patent i UNLTED STAEIESZ-PAIENTS:

Number Name--= Date 2,379,271" Bechtel-' June-26;"1945' FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number Country 1 Date 302,851;v Gneat filtitaimamwu Dem-27:; 19282?

